


Picking up the Pieces

by SilverMoon53



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Major Character Undeath, Post-Season/Series 01, a n g s t, entrapta isnt actually in this but the plot is just people realizing shes alive so, i mean kinda, she plays a big role anyway, we already know entrapta didn't die but the alliance doesn't so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 02:25:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17215286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverMoon53/pseuds/SilverMoon53
Summary: When the battle was won and the dust had settled, Bow took it upon himself to help clear away the debris. He was expecting destruction, devastation. The Horde wasn’t known for leaving much behind, and even with the help of the Princesses, Bright Moon had taken serious damage.What he wasn’t expecting was evidence that Entrapta had survived.





	Picking up the Pieces

**Author's Note:**

> First work in the fandom so I'm not 100% sure about the characterizations yet. 
> 
> Anyway, I really want to see how the Alliance responds to realizing that Entrapta survived and is now working with the Horde. This is just one angsty take.

“Uh, guys?” Bow’s voice was soft, hesitant. It was the end of the day, and everyone was crashing from the battle and aftermath. The members of the Princess Alliance had split up to asses the damage to Bright Moon, and had just regrouped as the moon started to rise. Everyone was bone weary, hardly awake enough to keep their eyes open, let alone discuss plans. 

Everyone except Bow, that is, for he had found something that had shocked him awake. 

“Guys?” Bow said again, a little louder this time. 

“Hey!” Adora shouted. Her voice carried and everyone turned to face her. “I know we’re all tired, but we need to focus a little bit longer.” Her sword hung loosely in her hand, tip buried slightly in the dirt. “Just. Did anyone find anything that needs to be addressed right away?” 

One by one, all the Princesses shook their heads no. Even Sea Hawk’s seemingly boundless energy had subsided, and all he offered was a dismissive hand wave.

“I-” Bow’s voice cracked and he swallowed. “I did.” 

Glimmer groaned from where she sat, leaning heavily against him. She looked up with pleading eyes. “Really? Can’t it wait? I haven’t even had a chance to recharge yet.” Bow rested his hand on her shoulder but looked away.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think it can.”

“Alright,” Adora sighed. She leaned back until she was resting against the wall. The other Princesses followed her lead until only Bow was standing fully upright, the rest either seated on the ground or leaning heavily on walls or each other. “Bow? What did you find?”

“R-right. Well, as you all know, I went to look at the robots the Horde left. Y’know, make sure they’re not rigged to blow or have any trackers or other surprises on them,” Bow began. 

“Did they?” Adora cut him off. She pushed herself off the wall and drew her sword, once again ready to fight.

“No! No, nothing like that,” Bow said quickly, waving his arms. “No, I just. I found one that was broken, nearly in half, so I took a peek inside. And I recognised it. The designs, they look like…” He closed his eyes and took a breath, then said in a rush, “They look like they were built by Entrapta.” 

Bow didn’t need to see to know the others’ reactions. He heard them breathe sharply in, felt Glimmer stiffen against him. He clenched his fists, not sure how to continue.

“You mean,” Glimmer said slowly, “the Horde is using her designs? How did-”

“No. I mean, I think Entrapta built them. Herself.”

“So she’s alive.” Bow opened his eyes and met Adora’s intense stare. “We have to go save her!” The hope in her words made Bow flinch. The others started murmuring in agreement, and Bow’s heart wrenched. 

“That’s not what I meant!” Bow raised his voice slightly, trying to stop it from trembling. He waited until everyone had quieted down and turned their attention back to him. “I-I studied Entrapta’s work, before. I know her designs, the way she builds. She knows how to make something look like it’ll work just fine only to fall apart at the worst possible moment. She’s done that for fun. That’s not what happened here. These bots were _perfect_ , and if Entrapta was being forced to build them, they wouldn’t be.”

“Bow. What are you saying?”

“What I’m saying, Adora, is that I don’t think Entrapta is a prisoner. I think she’s willingly working for the Horde.”

Bow kept his eyes down, unable to face his friends as they processed the news. No one said anything for several long moments, during which Bow allowed himself to break a little. He slumped down and leaned against Glimmer. Head resting in his hands, Bow cried silently. There was nothing else for him to say.

“So, what now?” Glimmer asked, her own voice choked by tears. 

“I don’t know,” Adora admitted. “I-”

“We go rescue her, don’t we?” Mermisa interupted. Her voice was more flat than usual, worn thin by stress. “She’s still a princess. She’s still our _friend_.”

“It’s not that simple.” Adora shook her head. “If she was being held captive, then of course, but if she’s working with them willingly…”

“She thinks we left her for dead,” Mermista snapped. “We _did_ leave her for dead. No wonder she changed sides.”

“So what?” Glimmer’s harsh words made Bow flinch and he leaned away from her. “I’m sorry, but who cares _why_ she did it? If she built the bots we just had to fight, and she did so willingly, then why waste energy trying to get her back? Who’s to say she even would _want_ to come back?”

“Glimmer…” Bow leaned away from her, finally raising his eyes to meet hers. Tears glistened on her face but she shook them away.

“No, Bow!” Her voice hitched and broke as she continued, “One of those robots almost killed my _mom_. I don’t care why Entrapta built it. I can’t forgive that.” 

“Right,” Mermista scoffed. Despite her rough attitude, Bow could see tears building in her eyes, too. “You don’t like her, so she’s not worth trying to save. Did you forget that the only reason she almost died was saving your sorry-”

“Let’s all just calm down-”

“Can it, Perfuma! My mom almost _died_ and my home was half destroyed because of Entrapta! I have every right to be mad.”

“So does Entrapta. We _abandoned her!_ ” 

Glimmer let out a frustrated shout and teleported away. Mermista threw her hands up and stormed away from the group as well, leaving the others in stunned silence. Adora rubbed her temples. Perfuma tried to dry her eyes but her tears kept coming. Bow hugged his legs tighter, unable to see how everyone else was doing. 

“Right,” Adora said at last. She looked so tired, like she was holding herself together with willpower alone, but her voice was clear and steady as she looked at her friends. She locked her eyes with Bow and continued, “Thank you for telling us this. It is valuable information. However, there is nothing we can do about it tonight. It’s been a long day and we are all tired, so everyone just. Go get some rest. The Horde won’t attack again until they’ve had some time to regroup, so we need to do the same. We can reconvene and make plans in the morning, but for now we all need to recover.” 

“I’ll go tell Mermista,” Sea Hawk offered, and scurried off before he could see Adora nod. 

“Bow, if you could-?” Adora started to ask, but he was already pulling himself to his feet.

“I’ll find Glimmer, calm her down.”

“Thank you. Everyone else, you’re dismissed. Get some sleep, tend to any wounds, eat something.” She nodded again, and saluted as the group dispersed. Adora took a few steps over to Bow and rested a hand on his shoulder. “Do you want me to go with you?” she asked, voice quiet so the others wouldn’t hear.

“Thanks,” Bow smiled weakly. He grabbed her hand and guided it down. “But I think it’d be better if I went alone. Besides, you need your rest too. You fought harder than any of us.” 

“Thank you,” Adora said, and turned to stumble off. 

Bow heaved a sigh and leaned against the nearest wall. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine where Glimmer would have teleported to. Somewhere she thought she wouldn’t be found, probably, so probably not her room and other usual hang outs. The Moonstone Chamber was an obvious place, but she did still need to recharge. She might have decided it was worth the exposure. Bow decided he would head there first, and wait for Glimmer there if she wasn't there yet. She would have to recharge before the night was over. Armed with a plan, Bow opened his eyes and yelped in shock.

“Oh, sorry!” Perfuma jumped back as well, as startled by Bow’s yell as he was by her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No, it’s okay,” Bow said quickly. He put a hand over his racing heart and waited for it to slow a little. “I just wasn’t expecting anyone here. Why haven’t you gone to rest?”

“I just- you’re sure? That the robots were built by Entrapta? That she’s alive?” 

“As sure as I can be. Why?”

“I can’t help but feel this is my fault,” Perfuma admitted. “I was not very kind to Entrapta before she- I mean, when we went to rescue you and Glimmer. What if I caused her to change sides?” 

“Perfuma, no.” Bow reached over and grabbed her hands. “If Entrapta changed sides, that’s on her, okay?”

“So you agree with Glimmer, then? That we shouldn’t try to save her?”

“No, that’s not what I meant. But I’m not sure Mermista is right either. I’m confused, and tired, and sad, and scared, and I’m not sure what to do. But I know that this isn’t our fault. We had no reason to think Entrapta could have survived the purging, or that she couldn’t have gotten out on her own if she had. I know she can get a little too into her experiments, and doesn’t always think about the damage they can cause. I don’t believe that anyone is fully good, or fully evil. I think Entrapta is a good person, in her heart, but she just doesn’t realise how much damage she has caused. Does that make sense?”

Perfuma blinked, then shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she said slowly. “But I do think I understand what you mean, about this not being our fault, and about being confused. Mermista is right, I think, that we should try to rescue her from the Horde. Even if she is there willingly, it’s better for everyone if she doesn’t help them. But I also think Glimmer is right, because she is no longer innocent. Entrapta has blood on her hands now, and we can’t just forget that. Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Bow smiled again, more genuine this time. “Go, get some rest. I’ll find Glimmer.”

“Thank you, Bow. Make sure you rest, too.”

“I will,” he promised. Perfuma wrapped him in a quick, tight hug, then turned towards the palace. “As soon as I talk to Glimmer,” he added once she was out of sight. 

The walk to the Moonstone Chamber was long, but blissfully uneventful. Bow tried to think of what he wanted to say, but his thoughts wouldn’t stay still. He gave up halfway there and focused on putting one foot in front of the other. By the time he got there, he could barely keep his eyes open. 

Glimmer was already there, laying with her eyes closed against the light of the Moonstone. Bow decided that she needed her rest as badly as the rest of them. He leaned back against the wall, and closed his eyes, trusting that Glimmer would be ready to talk when they both woke up.

**Author's Note:**

> Writeblr blog: @silverssideblog  
> Discord: cloudcover#7167  
> Feel free to come talk with me about She Ra or anything else!  
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed


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